At the height of the flood, 44 people were missing on Wednesday. Authorities were working to reach the remaining 17 people Thursday morning, focusing on a road that was impassable Wednesday, the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office said. Flood waters are now receding, authorities said, located on the border of Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky. There were no reports of deaths or injuries, the sheriff’s office said. The flooding came after 4 to 6 inches of rain hit the area in a matter of hours Tuesday night. Some spots reported 3 inches of rain in just 90 minutes. A frontal system has stalled over the area, which can produce copious amounts of rain in a very short period of time. The damage is spread about 10 miles, officials said, adding that the worst of the collision was downstream where several streams join together. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngin declared a state of emergency. “I want Virginians in Buchanan County to know that we have every resource available to help those affected by this storm. As we continue to assess the situation, I want to thank our first responders and personnel on the ground for providing assistance with ongoing businesses,” he said in a statement.
